Blackhawks' Duncan Keith claims Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP

ByPIERRE LEBRUN
June 15, 2015, 11:40 PM

— -- CHICAGO -- Duncan Keith was unanimously awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as NHL playoff MVP after his Chicago Blackhawks captured the Stanley Cup with a 2-0 win in Game 6 on Monday night.

The voting was done by 18 selected members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

Keith logged the most minutes on his team in these playoffs, becoming just the fourth skater since 1998 to play more than 700 minutes of ice time in one postseason after  Drew Doughty last year, Chris Pronger in 2006 and  Nicklas Lidstrom in 2002.

Keith's 21 points (3-18) tied Pronger (in 2006) for the most by a defenseman in the playoffs in the last 20 years.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top defenseman scored his third goal of the playoffs at 17:13 of the second period, hammering home a rebound of his own shot past Ben Bishop to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish.

Patrick Kane won the Conn Smythe in 2013 for the Hawks while Jonathan Toews got it in 2010 when Chicago began its era of championships.